Murder suspect's DNA matches twin

An investigation into a Minneapolis murder is being complicated by the fact that the suspect has matching DNA with another man – his identical twin.

Minneapolis police thought they could prove Michael Jefferson shot Gerald Penman on July 14th, 2002 as the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said his DNA matched DNA collected at the scene from hair, blood and skin residue.

However, investigators soon learned of Michael’s twin brother, Anthony Raymond Jefferson.

"We would not be able to distinguish between the two brothers using the DNA testing that we use,” says Kris Deters, a forensic scientist at the BCA.

Deters says that while fraternal twins come from two different fertilized eggs, identical twins come from the same egg, with essentially the same DNA.

Investigators may then have to use tools other than DNA.

"There may be other things such as alibis that investigatively are able to determine a difference between two identical siblings," says Deters.

Other criminal cases against an identical twin have been delayed due to the complication.

Grand Rapids, MI police do not know which of the Cooper brothers raped a woman in 1999.

Additionally, local, state and private tests have found no differences after checking 100,000 DNA characteristics.

Police obtained a search warrant last week and took a DNA sample from Anthony Jefferson.

If the testing does not work, police may be able to use fingerprints, which are different among identical twins.